Fixture for attachment ot a vertically grooved wooden wall



April 11, 1967 J. J. LOCKERT 3 313509 FIXTURE FOR ATTACHMENT TO A VERTICALLY GROOVED WOODEN WALL Filed Dec. 7, 1965 INVENTOR JOHN J. LOCKERT ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,313,599 FIXTURE F OR ATTACHMENT TO A VERTICALLY GROOVED WOODEN WALL John J. Loclrert, 1962 Haxton Way, Bellingham, Wash. 98225 Filed Dec. 7, 1965, Ser. No. 512,107 6 Claims. (Cl. 248-244) My invention relates to a wall fixture for attachment to a vertically grooved wooden wall, said fixture being in the form of a bracket or hanger.

Walls and panels of highly finished wood are often provided with vertical grooves to relieve planeness and improve appearance. It is often desirable to support articles on or from these vertically grooved wooden walls both for decorative and useful purposes. To do this it has heretofore been common practice to insert fastening devices, such as nails, screws or the like in these walls and in so doing to mar and deface the walls to such an extent that they need refinishing if the fastening devices are removed.

An object of my invention is to provide a wall fixture which can be fastened to a grooved wooden wall or like grooved surface without the use of tools of any kind and without marring, scratching or mutilating the wall in such a manner as to leave it defaced if the wall fixture is later removed.

Another object is to provide a wall fixture which involves a new concept in its method of attachment to a vertically grooved wall or panel in that it can be positioned at any desired location within an ordinary upright groove in a wooden wall or panel and rotatively moved to cause anchor arms or blades which are parts of the fixture to be irnbedded and securely anchored in the side walls of the groove without splitting and without marring or damaging the outer surface of the wall or panel.

Other objects are to provide a wall fixture which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, neat and attractive in appearance, easily and quickly applied to a grooved wooden wall or panel and one which is efiicient and reliable and not easily pulled loose from the Wall.

Other objects of my invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings.

In the drawings FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of my wall fixture formed of cylindrical metal and having integral wall anchor means.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the fixture of FIG. 1 applied to a vertically grooved wall.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a wall fixture formed of flat metal and having rigidly attached wall anchor means.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another wall fixture formed of fiat metal and adapted to be attached to a vertically grooved wall by separable wall anchor means.

FIG. 5 is a perspective View of a separable wall anchor device adapted for use with a fixture of the type shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of another wall anchor device adapted for use with a fixture of the type shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a wall anchor pin.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a wall bracket constructed in accordance with my invention and having integral wall anchor means.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a separable wall anchor device which can be used in connection with the wall bracket shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view, with parts in elevation, showing the bracket of FIG. 8 and the separable anchor device of FIG. 9 applied to a wall.

The Wall fixture shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a shank 15 which can be of cylindrical cross section, a short stem 16 rigid with the upper end portion of said shank 15 and extending substantially at right angles therefrom, two thin flat anchor arms or blades 17 rigid with the outer end portion of said stem 16 and extending in opposite directions therefrom and a hook member 18 rigid with the lower end portion of said shank 15 and extending outwardly and upwardly. Obviously the hook member 18 may be curved if desired.

The fixture shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is applied to a wall 19, which has in its upright grooves 21 of a predetermined width not less than the width of the anchor arms 17, by positioning the fixture with the anchor arms 17 in the groove and extending lengthwise of the groove and then rotatively moving the fixture through an angle of approximately ninety degrees to imbed the anchor arms in the side walls of the groove near the bottom of said groove. This leaves the shank 15 parallel with the groove 21 so that the lower end portion of said shank can drop into said groove, as shown in FIG. 2. The anchor arms 17 firmly anchor the fixture to the wall and the portion of the shank 15 within the groove 21 aligns and stabilizes the fixture and prevents it from swinging sidewise. Obvious'ly the shank 15 can be non-cylindrical in cross section and still fit within the groove 21 if its width does not exceed the width of said groove. Also it will be apparent that if one anchor arm 17 is omitted the fixture will still operate in the same manner but will not be as securely anchored to the wall.

The wall fixture shown in FIG. 3 comprises a shank 22 of flat metal having a rigidly attached stem 23 protruding rearwardly from its upper end portion. Two thin flat anchor arms 24 are rigid with the terminal end portion of the stem 23 and protrude transversely in opposite directions from said stem. The lower end portion of the shank 22 is bent outwardly and upwardly to form a hook 25. The fixture shown in FIG. 3 is applied to a grooved wall in the same manner as the fixture shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and it operates in the same manner except that the shank 22 does not enter the wall groove but rests against the wall.

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 show wall fixture devices in which a shank 26 of fiat metal is separate from the devices by which it is secured to a wall. Said shank 26 has an outwardly and upwardly extending hook 27 on its lower end and is provided with at least one and preferably two longitudinally extending slots 28 and 29. Two securing devices each adapted for use in either of the slots 28 or 29 are shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 respectively. The securing device shown in FIG. 5 comprises a stem 31 having two thin flat anchor arms 32 rigid with its inner end. Two lugs 33 are rigid with the stem 31, are positioned in spaced relation from the anchor arms 32 and protrude transversely from the stem 31. An end part 34 protrudes beyond the lugs 33 and is provided with a perforation 35. The perforation 35 is adapted to receive a lever or pin, such as a nail, which serves as a Wrench for turning the securing device to imbed the anchor arms 32 in the side walls of a groove in a wall or panel. The parts 31, 32, 33 and 34 are narrow enough and are suitably positioned to allow the anchor arms 32 to be passed through either one of the slots 28 or 29 in shank 26 and into a wall groove, after which the securing device can be rotated ninety degrees to imbed the anchor arms in the side walls of the groove and to position the lugs 33 crosswise of the shank 26 for holding said shank against a wall.

The securing device shown in FIG. 6 comprises an externally threaded stem 36 having two thin flat anchor arms 37 rigid with its inner end and having a transverse perforation 38 in its outer end to receive a suitable cross pin by which it may be turned. A wing nut 39 is provided for use on the stem 36 and can be tightened against the shank 26 through which the stem extends after the device has been installed through one of the slots 28 or 29 and the stem 36 rotated to imbed the anchor arms in a vertically grooved wall.

The fixture shown in FIG. 7 comprises a shank 40 having thin flat anchor arms 41 on its inner end and having a flattened outer end portion 42 provided with a transverse perforation 43. This fitting can be engaged within a wall groove in the same manner as the previously described fittings and can be used to hang an object such as a picture on a wall.

FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 show a triangularly shaped wall bracket embodying my invention and which can be formed of a single piece of flat metal. This bracket comprises a normally vertical shank 44, a horizontal shelf supporting part 45 and a brace or truss arm 46 extending diagonally between the lower end of shank 44 and the outer end of part 45. A short lug protrudes upwardly from the outer end of the horizontal part 45 and serves as a stop or retainer for any member, such as a shelf, which rests on the part 45. A short stem 48 is rigid with and protrudes transversely from the top end portion of the upright shank 44 and two thin, flat anchor arms 49 are rigid with the end portion of said stem and protrude in opposite directions therefrom. Preferably a longitudinally extending slot 50 is provided in shank 44 to permit application thereto of a separate holding device, which can be of the form shown in either FIG. or FIG. 6 or can be the holding device shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. Said holding device shown in FIGS. 9 and comprises a flat plate 51 having an outwardly bent bottom end portion 52 which serves as a finger piece and further having, near its upper end, a rigidly attached inwardly protruding stem 53 with thin flat anchor arms 54.

Parts 48 and 49 of the wall bracket of FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 can be applied to a vertically grooved wall 19 in the manner shown in FIG. 10, and for additional security, one of the separate holding devices, such as the one shown in FIG. 9 can be applied by positioning the part 51 crosswise of the slot 50, inserting cross arms 54 through said slot 50 and into the wall groove 21 and turning the part 51 and arms 54 approximately ninety degrees to imbed the anchor arms 54 in the side walls of the groove 21.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings clearly disclose preferred embodiments of my invention but it will be understood that changes may be made within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In wall fixture means the combination with a wooden wall which has at least one normally upright groove of predetermined width; of a shank; a stern rigid with said shank and protruding therefrom; and two anchor arms rigid with the end of the stem which is spaced from the shank, said anchor arm protruding transversely from said stern in opposite directions and being thin and flat and capable of penetrating the wooden wall and said anchor arms lying in a common plane perpendicular to the axis of the stem and the stem being approximately centered relative to the two anchor arms and said stem and anchor arm being of a width less than the predetermined width of the wall groove, whereby they can be inserted into the wall groove when positioned with the anchor arm lengthwise of the groove and can be secured to the wall by rotating the fixture approximately ninety degrees and imbedding the thin flat anchor arm in the wood which forms the side walls of the groove.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the shank is a member of substantial length and has the stem and anchor arms connected with and protruding in one direction from one end portion thereof and in which a hook is connected with and protrudes in an opposite, direction from the other end portion of said shank.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which at least the lower end portion of the shank is of a width not in excess of the width of the wall groove, whereby it is adapted to fit within the wall groove and stabilize the fixture when the fixture is supported from the wall.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the shank is fiat and of substantial length and has the stem and anchor arms connected with one end portion thereof, and in which a longitudinally extending slot capable of receiving a separable holding device is provided in said fiat shank in spaced relation from said stem.

5. The wall fixture as claimed in claim 1 in which the shank is of substantial length and has the stem and anchor arms connected with and protruding in one direction from one end portion thereof and in which a normally horizontal shelf support is rigid with said shank and protrudes a substantial distance outwardly therefrom in an opposite direction from said stern and anchor arms.

6. In wall fixture means the combination with a wooden wall which has at least one upright groove of predetermined width, of a fiat shank having an inner side adapted to be positioned against the wall and having article holding means protruding from its outer side; a stern rigid with the upper end portion of said shank and protruding transversely therefrom; two anchor arms rigid with the end of the stem which is spaced from the shank, said anchor arms protruding transversely from said stern in opposite directions and being thin and flat and capable of penetrating the wooden wall and said anchor arms lying in a common plane perpendicular to the axis of the stem and the stern being approximately centered relative to the anchor arms; a longitudinally extending slot in said shank intermediate its length; a fastening means including another stem received within and extending through said slot; two thin fiat anchor arms rigid with the inner end of said other stern and extending transversely therefrom in opposite directions, said other stem and anchor arms being of a width less then the predetermined width of the wall groove whereby they can be inserted into the wall groove when positioned with the anchor arms lengthwise of the groove and can be secured to the wall by axially rotating the other stem approximately ninety degrees and imbedding the anchor arms in the wood which forms the side walls of the groove; and a fiat plate rigid with the outer end portion of said other stem, said flat plate engaging with and hold said shank.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 391,438 10/1888 Van Horn 248-244 576,939 2/ 1897 Baines 248-244 801,383 10/1905 King et al 248-28 988,743 4/ 1911 Stillwagon --1 1,140,940 5/1915 Bales 248-243 1,210,595 1/1917 Brubaker 85--1 1,308,869 7/1919 Rohmer 24869 2,099,116 11/ 1937 Kolmbach 294-67 2,388,658 11/ 1945 Pumphrey 859 2,790,616 4/ 1957 Cardinal 248217 2,987,289 6/1961 Wamsley 248341 3,091,423 5/ 1963 Butterworth 248-225 3,191,777 6/1965 Willits 21187 3,235,218 2/1966 Graham 248-225 FOREIGN PATENTS 179,618 12/ 1906 Germany.

906,898 9/1962 Great Britain.

287,209 7/ 193 1 Italy.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

CH NCELLQR H RRIS, Ex m h 

1. IN WALL FIXTURE MEANS THE COMBINATION WITH A WOODEN WALL WHICH HAS AT LEAST ONE NORMALLY UPRIGHT GROOVE OF PREDETERMINED WIDTH; OF A SHANK; A STEM RIGID WITH SAID SHANK AND PROTRUDING THEREFROM; AND TWO ANCHOR ARMS RIGID WITH THE END OF THE STEM WHICH IS SPACED FROM THE SHANK, SAID ANCHOR ARM PROTRUDING TRANSVERSELY FROM SAID STEM IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS AND BEING THIN AND FLAT AND CAPABLE OF PENETRATING THE WOODEN WALL AND SAID ANCHOR ARMS LYING IN A COMMON PLANE PERPENDICULAR TO THE AXIS OF THE STEM AND THE STEM BEING APPROXIMATELY CENTERED RELATIVE TO THE TWO ANCHOR ARMS AND SAID STEM AND ANCHOR ARM BEING OF A WIDTH LESS THAN THE PREDETERMINED WIDTH OF THE WALL GROOVE, WHEREBY THEY CAN BE INSERTED INTO THE WALL GROOVE WHEN POSITIONED WITH THE ANCHOR ARM LENGTHWISE OF THE GROOVE AND CAN BE SECURED TO THE WALL BY ROTATING THE FIXTURE APPROXIMATELY NINETY DEGREES AND IMBEDDING THE THIN FLAT ANCHOR ARM IN THE WOOD WHICH FORMS THE SIDE WALLS OF THE GROOVE. 